Number of breweries in Brazil remains at the highest level in history

Brazil once again broke a record in the number of registered breweries. The number of this type of establishment in the country grew by 6.8%, from 1,729 in 2022, to 1,847 in 2023.

This is what the 2024 Beer Yearbook points out, a kind of x-ray of the sector published annually by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa).

Márcio Maciel, executive president of the National Beer Industry Union (Sindicerv), highlights that the yearbook is an important tool for public authorities to know how to stimulate the sector, responsible for 2% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — and 2.5 million jobs.

“It is essential for the best public policies to be adopted with the best possible information. It is good for the Executive Branch, for the Legislative Branch, it is good for the beer market to know where to allocate its investments”, he states.

The survey also shows that the greater number of breweries was accompanied by a greater variety of beers. If in 2022 Brazil had 42,831 registered products, in 2023 this quantity jumped to 45,648.

The country had 60,334 trademarks registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) at the end of last year. According to Sindicerv, the number is higher than that observed throughout the European Union. The yearbook clarifies that the same beer registration can include more than one commercial brand — which explains the difference between these indicators.

Preference for national beer grows

The yearbook points out that Brazilian beer imports have been falling since 2019. Between 2022 and 2023 there was a 51.1% decrease in the volume of liters purchased from other countries. According to the Map, it can be inferred that the greater supply of national products contributed to reducing the search for foreign beers.

Exports of beers produced in Brazil, in turn, continue to grow. The publication shows that in 2022 the volume sold to other countries rose 18.6%. This generated more than US$155 million for Brazilian breweries. The result guaranteed a positive balance of US$147 million to the Brazilian trade balance, which is the difference between what Brazil exports and imports.

Ranking by state

São Paulo leads the ranking of states with the most breweries. The most populous state in the country closed 2023 with 410 establishments, 23 more than in 2022. Rio Grande do Sul — which appears in second place — was the federation unit where the most breweries were opened in the period between the two years. There were 25. Minas Gerais closes the list of the top three.

Another positive highlight in the beer sector was the state of Pará. It is the federation unit with the highest percentage growth in establishments. In total, the number of breweries there jumped 33.3%.

Ten states (Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Piauí, Amazonas, Sergipe, Tocantins, Acre, Amapá and Roraima) and the Federal District maintained the same number of establishments last year as in 2022. Only Bahia and Alagoas showed a drop.

This means that the number of breweries has stabilized or grown in 25 states across the country in 2023. Numbers that reflect a sector that expands year after year, says Maciel. “Without a doubt, the growth of breweries in Brazil is something that is reflected in what we see on a daily basis. Industries are investing, they are opening new plants, operating at almost maximum capacity”, he assesses.

Top-10 municipalities with the most breweries

The city of São Paulo is where there are the most breweries in the country, the publication points out: 61. Next comes Porto Alegre, with 43; and Curitiba, with 26. Among the top 10, there are three municipalities from Minas Gerais, two from Santa Catarina, two from Rio Grande do Sul, two from São Paulo and the federal capital.